Ryan and I have always known that our hometown is amazing, yet the generosity and character of those in our Antigo network continue to inspire us. In January, we had the opportunity to talk with students and staff at All Saints Catholic School about the library project in Jocotenango, and we could not be more ecstatic about their passion and energy for that mission. There is almost nothing better than seeing others get excited about a cause that is so close to our heart.

Over the next two weeks, the kids, staff and administration of All Saints promoted and hosted a dance, dinner, and bake sale to support the library project in celebration of Catholic School’s Week. I’m not sure exactly what we were expecting, but we were completely blindsided when we were told that the event raised OVER $900 for the library! I CANNOT WAIT to go to Guatemala in 3 weeks and give these kids such a tangible expression of their love.

But honestly, I think I was even more excited about what those dollars represented than I was about the dollars themselves. In a generation of kids that is so often accused of being narcissistic and selfish, a school community came together to serve kids that none of them will probably ever meet. It gave me so much hope for the future of our communities to know that these students will soon be unleashed on the world to “loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke” (Isaiah 58:6).

We owe a special thank you to Paul Galuska and the All Saints staff for their warm welcome and dedication to this project. We are so excited to continue this collaboration and hope that we can give students more catalytic experiences that will foster their compassion for the poor and oppressed. It is so clear that you are teaching your students to be like Jesus, and I have no doubt that you have world-changers in your ranks.